Cynthia Rutledge Classes via Zoom! March 12-14, 2021
Cynthia is a contemporary artist and teacher focusing on beadwork as her medium. She specializes in peyote stitch and off-loom weaving techniques with an emphasis on developing sculptural unsupported shapes in beadwork.
Her work has been exhibited in national and international shows and has appeared in Nicolette Stessin's Beaded Amulet Purses, Carol Taylor's Creative Bead Jewelry, and Carol Wilcox Wells' Creative Bead Weaving: A Contemporary Guide to Classic Off-Loom Stitches. |
Friday, March 12 - Apollonia

Born in 1857, Sotirio Bulgari hailed from a small village in northern Greece. For generations this area was known for its exceptional silversmith art, a refined skill that had been passed from father to son since the Byzantine Era.
Bulgari moved his family to Rome and opened his first jewelry store in 1884. The store quickly built its reputation for luxurious, exceptionally well-crafted Greek and Roman-inspired jewelry designs.
As part of a renovation in the 1930’s, the logo was updated to Bvlgari, which used the traditional Roman alphabet. WWII played a big part in the transition of materials used for their designs, moving from silver to gold was just one of the many adjustments that the brothers at the helm of Bvlgari had to conquer, placing the jewelry house into the high jewelry market.
Bvlgari’s vison of beauty always begins with Rome itself. Architectural designs, along with colored stones, draw from the cities’ ancient mosaics and gems, polished like the smooth surfaces of its epic marble sculptures. Each creation echoes Rome’s timeless art and exuberant spirit.
Apollonia is inspired by Bvlgari’s masterful use of Roman architecture as a muse. In this case, I am using the imagery of the Italian baroque ceiling from The Palazzo dei Penitenzieri in Rome.
This set consists of a pair of earrings and a necklace. The main components are cubic right-angle weave (CRAW) and peyote stitch bezeled pear CZs using seed beads and fire polish beads. Three 6mm CZs are bezeled and attached to the bottom of the pear bezels for interest. For the earrings, an embellished pearl cabochon component hides the earring post and clutch. Dramatic to say the least! The necklace has the same center component attached to a light and airy right-angle weave (RAW) variation chain, ending in two beaded pearl buttons and connector.
Bulgari moved his family to Rome and opened his first jewelry store in 1884. The store quickly built its reputation for luxurious, exceptionally well-crafted Greek and Roman-inspired jewelry designs.
As part of a renovation in the 1930’s, the logo was updated to Bvlgari, which used the traditional Roman alphabet. WWII played a big part in the transition of materials used for their designs, moving from silver to gold was just one of the many adjustments that the brothers at the helm of Bvlgari had to conquer, placing the jewelry house into the high jewelry market.
Bvlgari’s vison of beauty always begins with Rome itself. Architectural designs, along with colored stones, draw from the cities’ ancient mosaics and gems, polished like the smooth surfaces of its epic marble sculptures. Each creation echoes Rome’s timeless art and exuberant spirit.
Apollonia is inspired by Bvlgari’s masterful use of Roman architecture as a muse. In this case, I am using the imagery of the Italian baroque ceiling from The Palazzo dei Penitenzieri in Rome.
This set consists of a pair of earrings and a necklace. The main components are cubic right-angle weave (CRAW) and peyote stitch bezeled pear CZs using seed beads and fire polish beads. Three 6mm CZs are bezeled and attached to the bottom of the pear bezels for interest. For the earrings, an embellished pearl cabochon component hides the earring post and clutch. Dramatic to say the least! The necklace has the same center component attached to a light and airy right-angle weave (RAW) variation chain, ending in two beaded pearl buttons and connector.
Saturday , March 13 - Anatolia's Bracelet

Anatolia's Bracelet is inspired by the jewelry designs of the Byzantine period. Cubic Right-Angle-Weave (CRAW) done with True 2's and seed beads form a shaped base for this design. Fine copper patina metal is the base of the center component. Bezeled and embellished with a bezeled CZ, this center component is fabulous! The center focal point leads into Peyote stitched straps embellished with bezeled CZ's and ending in a sliding bar clasp.
This workshop will be held on the Zoom app. You must have a laptop or tablet with a camera and microphone and a WiFi connection. Zoom is a free app and easy to download on either a Windows or Apple platform.
Directions and any materials you require will be mailed, so please register early to insure that you receive the materials before the class!
Sunday, March 14 - Art Deco Tutti Fruitti Bracelet

The term “tutti frutti” sounds like bubble gum or a dessert, but in reality, it is a name given to a style of high jewelry designed by Pierre Cartier. The story goes that in 1901 Queen Alexandra of Great Britain, commissioned Cartier to create a necklace. The original inspiration was a set of three Indian gowns Queen Alexandra had received as a gift, which inspired the bright color choices for the carved gemstones. In this case, the stones were emeralds, rubies, sapphires and diamonds set in platinum.
The style has an east meets west aesthetic which was wildly popular in the 1920s but only gained its fun name in the 1970s. In the ’20s exoticism was all the rage. India’s princely families had magnificent gem collections refashioned by Cartier and other Parisian jewelry houses. The Europeans, in turn, fell in love with India’s precious gems and its crafts.
Art Deco Tutti Frutti Bracelet is the result of a blend of designs, the Art Deco era with its angles and Tutti Frutti with the riot of colors. These styles come together in a fashionable bracelet using cubic-right-angle weave (CRAW) and peyote stitch. A central oval CZ is bezeled and surrounded with a CZ-set cup chain. Four colors of bezeled CZ’s brighten the central component. Flat, odd-count peyote stitch strips link the central component to the side component, leading to the CZ embellished clasp.
This workshop will be held on the Zoom app. You must have a laptop or tablet with a camera and microphone and a WiFi connection. Zoom is a free app and easy to download on either a Windows or Apple platform.
Directions and any materials you require will be mailed, so please register early to insure that you receive the materials before the class!
The style has an east meets west aesthetic which was wildly popular in the 1920s but only gained its fun name in the 1970s. In the ’20s exoticism was all the rage. India’s princely families had magnificent gem collections refashioned by Cartier and other Parisian jewelry houses. The Europeans, in turn, fell in love with India’s precious gems and its crafts.
Art Deco Tutti Frutti Bracelet is the result of a blend of designs, the Art Deco era with its angles and Tutti Frutti with the riot of colors. These styles come together in a fashionable bracelet using cubic-right-angle weave (CRAW) and peyote stitch. A central oval CZ is bezeled and surrounded with a CZ-set cup chain. Four colors of bezeled CZ’s brighten the central component. Flat, odd-count peyote stitch strips link the central component to the side component, leading to the CZ embellished clasp.
This workshop will be held on the Zoom app. You must have a laptop or tablet with a camera and microphone and a WiFi connection. Zoom is a free app and easy to download on either a Windows or Apple platform.
Directions and any materials you require will be mailed, so please register early to insure that you receive the materials before the class!
We’ll keep you posted!
Class Prices and Information
Zoom Classes - $90/day
In person classes:
1/2 day of classes - $50
1 day of classes - $95
2 days of classes - $180
3 days of classes - $270
Each additional day - $90
Please note: Classes begin at 10:00 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
To register, please call (312) 316-1910 or email citybeads.chicago@gmail.com. Payment is due at the time of registration and will be refunded only in the event another student can fill your seat.
We’ll keep you posted!
Class Prices and Information
Zoom Classes - $90/day
In person classes:
1/2 day of classes - $50
1 day of classes - $95
2 days of classes - $180
3 days of classes - $270
Each additional day - $90
Please note: Classes begin at 10:00 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
To register, please call (312) 316-1910 or email citybeads.chicago@gmail.com. Payment is due at the time of registration and will be refunded only in the event another student can fill your seat.